Where are they now? Former Tigers taking on NFL

Stryker Sulak is seen in a drill during an NFL football minicamp on Saturday, May 9, 2009, at Raiders headquarters in Alameda, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Robert Mays

Waivers? Practice squads? Unrestricted free agents?

NFL teams were forced to trim their rosters down to the maximum 53 players last Saturday, and now that the dust is settled it’s time to find out where last year’s MU stars have ended up:

Brock Christopher, Linebacker/Fullback, Free Agent: Christopher was signed by the Falcons just days after the draft as an unrestricted free agent and spent about a month and a half with the team before being released in the beginning of June. He was then scooped up by the Jets and converted to fullback, but was eventually released during the last round of cuts this past weekend.

Stryker Sulak, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Free Agent: While Chase Daniel’s efforts to make the Washington Redskins were the most documented case of a former Tiger’s efforts to find NFL employment, Sulak’s were certainly the strangest. After being taken with the team’s 6th round pick, the Oakland Raiders cut Sulak before training camp even began. Shortly after Sulak worked out for several teams before eventually being signed by the Green Bay Packers in mid-August. But just like Christopher, Sulak was a victim of the latest round of cuts by all teams.

Colin Brown, Guard, Kansas City Chiefs: Brown was put on injured reserve by the Chiefs during the final round of roster moves this past weekend. Brown will remain on the roster but cannot participate in any of the team’s games this season as a result of the move.

William Moore, Safety, Atlanta Falcons: Moore was initially thought to be in the mix for a starting spot in Atlanta before missing three weeks earlier this off-season with a knee injury. Those aspirations were further hampered when Moore injured his hamstring during the team’s third preseason game. An update on Moore’s prognosis will be given later today per league rules for game week updates. Right now, he is listed second on the Falcons’ depth chart at strong safety.

Ziggy Hood, Defensive End, Pittsburgh Steelers: Hood has received praise from coaches and teammates alike after arriving in Pittsburgh as the team’s first round selection. But the Steelers have made a habit of not playing their young talent before it’s an absolute necessity- the team selected Lawrence Timmons with the 15th pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, and Timmons will just be stepping into a starting role this year. Hood is currently listed third on the depth chart at defensive end.

Jeremy Maclin, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles: Maclin saw plenty of time at wide receiver and in the kicking game for the Eagles during the preseason. The Eagles are once again a contender in the NFC, but wide receiver depth has never been the team’s strong point. Maclin is currently listed second on the depth chart at one of the team’s wide receiver positions, but may have a significant impact as he further acclimates himself to the NFL game.

Chase Coffman, Tight End, Cincinnati Bengals: Anyone who caught a few minutes of Hard Knocks on HBO knows that the transition to the NFL hasn’t been easy for Chase Coffman. Coffman’s woes as a blocker were pointed out more than once by his position coach over the course of the show. But despite the publicity of his struggles Coffman, is listed second on the depth chart at tight end for the Bengals, who have been decimated by injuries at the position. Daniel Coats has been named the team’s starter, but Coffman should get a chance at some point.

Chase Daniel, Quarterback, New Orleans Saints practice squad: The practice squad is used in interesting ways for many NFL teams. More than just a collection of talent used to prepare starters for the upcoming week, the practice squad can be a way of hanging onto a player that can’t be budgeted for on the 53-man roster. However, players on the practice squad are fair game for any other NFL team to sign. So while Daniel is currently a member of the Saints practice squad after his release from the Redskins, he’s only one injury away from another free agent deal.